According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Energy, Section 1503 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the Stimulus), the part of the act that covers green energy projects got $9 billion of stimulus cash for 2009-2011. Nine billion. It also created a grand total of 910 direct jobs, those that were directly involved in the ongoing operation of the wind and solar projects that were funded by the Act. Investors described their detective work:

Now, the report doesn’t come right out and say this. You have to pick through it and look past the “indirect” jobs said to have been created by the manufacture and installation of the bird-chopping wind turbines and water-cleansed solar panels.

The administration has a most curious way of describing what a green job is, but if you count just the “direct” jobs, it cost taxpayers $9.8 million to create each of those long-term jobs.

Throw in the indirect jobs supporting the direct jobs estimate of 4,600 (we’re confused too) and there are 5,510 total jobs (direct and indirect). Starting with the $9 billion in grants, the result to establish 5,510 jobs averages out to $1.63 million per job.

John Galvin, the Bureau of Labor Statistics acting commissioner. was grilled by Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-CA) on what actually constitutes a “green job.” Which provides a welcome dose of humor. But $1.63 million per job is a little startling. Obviously the $1.53 million did not go to the bus drivers and guy who put gas in the school bus. I wonder where it went?